Community Center announces baseball tryouts

by Kevin Cassidy
Islander Correspondent

The Anna Maria Island Community Center Little League is having tryouts for a major league team from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Longboat Key Recreational Center field. Players ages 10-12 who make this team will compete against teams from Manatee West Little League, which play its games at G.T. Bray park. Home games for the Islanders will be played at the Longboat Key field.

The Center also will host a baseball clinic along with team registration at the Longboat Key field on Jan. 6 from 10 a.m. to noon. Players can also register anytime at the AMICC trailer behind St. Bernard Catholic Church.

Meanwhile, basketball season is launching this week. Center athletic director Andy Jonatzke said uniforms will be distributed Wednesday, Jan. 3, and the season of games will begin Jan. 4.

There is no season-opening banquet, Jonatzke said, but along with the uniform distribution he plans to provide a schedule for team and individual pictures.

While no photo or game schedule was provided at press time, Jonatzke noted that all games will be played at King Middle School. Practices are being scheduled by the respective team coaches at Anna Maria Elementary School, the Holmes Beach outdoor court, outside at King Middle School and at St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church.

For more information, call 778-1908.

Key Royale golf news

The men of the Key Royale Club played an 18-hole, best-ball-of-foursome match on Dec. 27. The team of Hal Sears, Earl Ritchie and Bob Elliott carded a 12-under-par 52 to edge the second-place team of Chuck Boes, Dan Hayes and Bob Dickinson by one shot and win bragging rights for the day.

The men and women of the Key Royale Club teamed up for a nine-hole, best-ball-of-foursome contest on Dec. 22. The team of Teddy Morgan, Al Morgan, Hal Sears and Jim Finn combined to fire a six-under-par 26 to claim bragging rights for the week. Second place went to the threesome of Terry and Richard Westby and Dottie McKinna, who combined to shoot a 28. Fred Meyer had some good news when he chipped in on hole No. 3.

Horseshoe news

The team of John Johnson and Bruce Munro won the Dec. 23 horseshoe competition at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. The twosome was the only team out of the eight that participated to go 3-0 in pool play, leaving the rest to battle it out for second place. George Landraitus teamed up with Ron Pepka to defeat son Charlie and Rod Bussey by a score of 21-8 to advance to the final consolation game where they were soundly defeated by the team of Hank Huyghe and George McKay.

The competition on Dec. 27 was much the same, as Sam Samuels and Steve Doyle went undefeated to claim the championship outright. Ron Pepka and Hank Huyghe captured runner-up honors with a 23-7 victory.

Play gets under way at 9 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m. followed by random team selection. There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.

Gulf Coast Senior Games

Senior athletes can sign up for the 2007 Gulf Coast Senior Games that will take place Feb. 19-25 at a variety of locations in and around Bradenton. The Senior Games is entering its 18th year of providing sporting competition for athletes 50 years young and up in 20 events.

The cost to register is $12 with every entrant receiving a Senior Games T-shirt. There is a fee of $2 for each additional event/activity entered. To register or for more information, call 941-742-5926.